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Andes Candies

Andes Chocolate Mints, also known as Andes Candies, are small rectangular candies consisting of one mint-green layer sandwiched in between two chocolate-brown layers. The candies are usually wrapped in green foil imprinted with the company’s logo, the word Andes written amidst a drawing of snow-capped peaks. First launched in 1950, they are produced by Tootsie Roll Industries and made in Delavan, Wisconsin.

In 1921, Andrew Kanelos opened a small candy store in Chicago, Illinois. While he initially called his store “Andy’s Candies” in reference to himself, he quickly found that men did not like giving boxes of candy with another man’s name to their wives and girlfriends. As such, he changed the spelling of the business to “Andes Candies”. In 1980, Andes was purchased by the Swiss candy company Interfood (later Jacobs Suchard). When Jacobs Suchard bought Brach’s in 1987, Andes became part of that division. When Jacobs Suchard was sold to Kraft General Foods in 1990, Brach’s was kept separate by owner Klaus J. Jacobs. In need of cash, Brach’s sold Andes to Tootsie Roll Industries in 2000.

In the United States, Andes mints are a popular after dinner mint, which can be found at popular restaurants, including Olive Garden. The mint used at Olive Garden is a special flavor manufactured exclusively for the restaurant chain, but it is tastewise similar to the Mint Parfait flavor; containing the same layers, but at different ratios. The common size Andes mint is 1.5 × 0.75 × 0.25 inches, weighs 4.75 grams and contains 25 calories. A larger size is available, measuring 2 × 0.75 × 0.25 inches, weighing 9 grams and containing 47.5 calories.